ABC Analysis Q3 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer mags in SA

by Herman Manson (@marklives)The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period July–September 2016 (ABC Q3 2016); see our newspaper ABC analysis here. Apart from highlighting several figures that stand out for us, we’ve also updated our list of the biggest-circulating consumer titles in SA.

Note: we compare the current figures with the same figures for this time the year before, and not with the previous quarter. Green equals growth, red decline, purple maintained, new entrant or renamed, orange discontinued or resigned and pink no submission or suspended.

Custom magazines saw an overall circulation decline to 7 835 536 from 8 067 800 in the corresponding previous reporting period. Single copy sales in this category stood at 85 471, and total paid for circulation at 1 715 912.

According to calculations provided by the ABC, total magazine circulation declined by 2.1%, compared to the last quarter; consumer magazines declined by 4%, B2B magazines declined by 1.5%, custom magazines declined by 1.3% and free magazines increased by 2.7%.

Entertainment & celeb news

People has continued its circulation decline by falling to 42 333 from 54 085. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down to 31 268 from 35 054. No circulation data was available for theEnglish edition.

Bona is down to 71 214 from 76 120 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Drum has collapsed to 50 506 from 82 137 (Q3 2012 = 115 375), Huisgenoot has dropped to 212 241 from 243 738, and YOU has fallen to 109 591 from 132 818.

The Big Issue falls to 10 731 from 12 320. Taalgenoot is up to 69 023 from 66 259 (total free = only 231).

GQ is down to 20 333 from 22 789 (total free: 6 570). Hype has grown to 19 137 from 14 180 (total free also up to 7 434).

Men’s Health has fallen to 34 491 from 42 087 and Popular Mechanics to 27 874 from 33 820. Stuffis down to 15 893 from 16 309 (total free: 3 876). Tjop & Dop failed to submit it circulation data.

Health, fitness, sport

Amakhosi has fallen to 17 993 from 27 492 and Kick Off is down to 27 999 from 36 249. Golf Digest has fallen to 7 917, up from 9 992, but Compleat Golfer is up to 10 820, from 8 760 (total free = 5 669). Zigzag made no ABC submission for Q2 or Q3 2016.

Magnum has fallen to 12 152 from 14 577 while Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag is down to 11 621 from 13 370. SA Hunter has fallen to 43 930 from 46 359.

Hitting the road

CAR is down to 59 120 from 60 286 and Leisure Wheels to 13 436 from 15 287. TopGear has fallen to 12 220 from 17 919. Drive Out/WegRy has declined to 24 531 from 29 114 and Topcar to 12 519 from 15 460.

Auto Trader is down to 2 681 from 6 556.Bike SA is down to 15 000 from 17 377. SA 4×4 has fallen to 16 813 from 18 300. Speed and Sound is down to 27 260 from 35 004.

Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding has declined to 48 136 from 59 198 (total free: 8 096), Ideas/Ideeshas declined to 47 087 from 52 356 and Leef to 27 066 from 31 540. Move! has fallen to 84 835 from 97 866. True Loveis down to 32 690 from 48 209 and Vroue Keur has dropped to 54 516 from 60 717. Woman and Home is down to 78 000 from 89 639 (total free = 10 484).

Essentials is down to 28 407 from 32 952. Grazia falls to 12 682 from 19 416. Kuier has fallen to 94 602 from 104 101. Marie Claire has dropped to 20 703 from 30 666 (total free = 4 523). Rooi Rose is down to 68 036 from 70 703 (total free: 9 020). Sarie has fallen to 66 886 from 90 935. Your Family is down to 35 337 from 40 653. Women’s Health has declined to 35 580 from 45 410, and Longevity to 18 449 from 20 103.

The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*

Huisgenoot: 212 241

YOU: 109 591

Kuier: 94 602

Move!: 84 835

Woman and Home: 78 000

Tuis/Home: 77 269

Bona: 71 214 +3

Taalgenoot: 69 023

Rooi Rose: 68 036

Sarie: 66 886 -3

CAR: 59 120
Weg/Go: 57 098

*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded. Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2016 Q2 data.

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Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com. He was the founding editor of media.toolbox (1998–2006) and Mobile.Works, and the co-founder of Brand magazine. He has served on the editorial boards of The Journal for Convergence, as well as of Fast Company South Africa. Winner of the 2011 Vodacom Social Media Journalist of the Year award, he was also a finalist twice in the Highway Africa Award for the Innovative Use of New Media in Africa (2003 and 2004). Over his 20-year-plus career, Herman has contributed to numerous journals and websites in South Africa and abroad, including the Mail & Guardian, .net, Intelligence, AdVantage, Men’s Health, Computer World and African Communications. He has consulted on web architecture to several financial institutions.

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